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Wednesday, 19 September 2012

"BETTER TO LIGHT A CANDLE THAN CURSE THE DARKNESS."

Caroline Baroness Cox of the then House of Lords said and I quote: “ If nations are allowed to commit genocide with impunity, to hide their guilt in a camouflage of lies and denials, there is a real danger that other brutal regimes will be encouraged to attempt genocides.” In translating this to today’s scenario on the killing of Yusuf Mohammed, religious leader and others, I will say: If NPF is allowed to commit homicide with impunity, to hide its guilt in a camouflage of lies and denials, there is a real danger that other security/defence machineries and even the populace will be encouraged to attempt homicide.

Taking a quote from Eve Curie, a French author, “ We discovered that peace at any price is no peace at all. We discovered that life at any price has no value whatever; that life is nothing without the privileges, the prides, the rights, the joys which make it worth living, and also worth giving. And we also discovered that there is something more hideous, more atrocious than war or than death; and that is to live in fear. Right from my childhood I had always thought that the major work of the NPF is to protect and safeguard lives and properties and that police station is supposed to be a safe haven for the entire populace. But today, we have all began to live in fear (which is in contrary to normalcy). I just recalled what happened to my friend some days ago on his way from Lagos to Abuja. Unfortunately he missed his way and followed a wrong route that strengthened his journey greatly. By the time he got to a place called “Kabba” it was already so late that he was advised by the neighbours not to further his journey till next day’s morning. So my friend saw a police station around there and felt it would be safer for him to put up a night there. He went in and explained his condition to the officers and asked if they could allow him to pack his car and pass a night there in his car with his driver. The NPF officers told him that it wouldn’t be possible on flimsy ground that they (NPF officers) were scared of what might happen later in the night because they did not know whatever he was having in the car. He gave them his ID and even his car keys, but still they refused and suggested to him to look for a hotel to put up at. Is police station not supposed to be a safe haven for the citizens? If this guys were to be pursued by robbers, was that how they would have been left deserted by the NPF officers? Alas! They were allowed to pass a night after long hours of chinwag by the officers. This shows great laxity on the part of our so called lives and properties protectors. This gives a clear picture of what actually happened to Yusuf Mohammed and others in police custody and what will still happen to others. God Help Us!!!

Taking a quote from Peter Benenson who said: The candle burns not for us, but for all those whom we failed to rescue from prison, who were shot on the way to prison, who were tortured, who were kidnapped, who “disappeared,” That’s what the candle is for.” I am not for the atrocities the religious sect leader and Co have committed, but I am against the way their lives were terminated and I am for the truth and justice. I must always, in good conscience, protest against unnecessary suppression of our rights as free men. According to Ramsey Clark, " A right is not what someone gives you; it's what no one can take fro you." Not even the government. I always live by the Chinese proverb which says: “Better light a candle than curse the darkness.” We have legal procedures for prosecutions and these procedures entail truth and justice. Sadam Hussein for example was not only alleged to have committed crimes against humans but was also captured and was convicted in a law court via legal procedures. Why did America choose legal means and not to shoot him straight up? We have other cases out there we should use as spring board against this “jungle justice.” Taking away the life of an oppressor unjustly will never justify whatever atrocities he might have committed; it is better to prosecute an oppressor “judicially”/“legally” than to use “jungle justice” because if you preach equity which is justice, you come to equity with clean hands not with dirty hands. Making killings is praising the darkness. We must not burn down the house to kill the rats.